


The Hazards of Falling

by Motchi



Series: First Dates [4]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28376034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Motchi/pseuds/Motchi
Summary: Rufus is learning the hard way. Tifa/Rufus short
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Rufus Shinra
Series: First Dates [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1507739
Comments: 21
Kudos: 17





	The Hazards of Falling

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for Irishais back in 2007. Goes somewhere in the First Dates-verse.

He should've known the chair wouldn't hold both of them.

Come to think of it, he _had_ known. In fact, Rufus distinctly remembered telling her such when she insisted on joining him. But had she listened? Of course not. Ms. Lockhart seemed to think she was exempt from trivial things like taking sound advice where he was concerned.

And now here they were, getting well-acquainted with the floor and each other. Who knew he could withstand a fall from a rolling desk chair? Who knew his fall would be followed up by another unhappy demonstration of gravity? Who knew such a dainty-looking woman could be so ungodly heavy? Certainly not him. Or at least he hadn't ten seconds ago.

"Ms. Lockhart..."

He was interrupted by the sound of his office door opening and a "Hey, boss, we heard a crash." There was no time to push her off or squirm out from under her (nor would squirming be appropriate in the position they were currently in). Scuffed shoes appeared by his head. When Rufus looked up, he saw wrinkled pants and an untucked shirt.

"Oh." The expression on Reno's face could only be described as bewildered envy. "That's...why."

"This isn't what it looks like," Rufus protested. If it _were_ what it looked like, his hands wouldn't be flapping about like confused birds. They'd be doing...other things. Most likely. And Reno surely wouldn't be standing there watching.

"Copy that," Reno said, but the look he gave Rufus bordered on hostile amusement. "I'll just tell the others"—he jerked a thumb over his shoulder as he backed out of the office—"that things are, uh, _under_ control."

When the office door clicked shut, Tifa grinned down at Rufus in a way that did nothing for his nerves. This was going to be office gossip for the next two weeks, he just knew it. Just like last time. Bloody hell. He'd have to refrain from working late, too, unless he wanted more relationship advice from the chatty cleaning lady.

What a wretched mess.

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?" Tifa asked.

"The truth?" When her eyes crinkled with mischief, Rufus braced himself for a verbal equivalent to an EMP stick. 

"Yeah," she said. "Why didn't you tell him we were down here about to have hot, messy office sex?"

Rufus's brain fizzled—no, _sizzled—_ damnation! "Wha-? I? You? But? Sex?"

Gods, he sounded like an idiot. And he had even prepared for it.

"Rufus, I was only kidding," Tifa said, chuckling. She carefully slid off him and onto her feet, then stretched down her hand.

Still helplessly witless, Rufus grasped it and allowed her to haul him upright. He avoided her eyes by smoothing down his suit and testing for broken parts. "Of course. I assure you, Ms. Lockhart, I fully understood that."

"And I never doubted it." Tifa pointed a thumb at the door and backed away, much like Reno had just done a minute ago. "I just wanted to drop off your watch—you know, the one you left at the bar last night."

Rufus glared at the watch sitting on his desk. He had a faint impression that it was smiling at him. "Of course," he said. "I assure you, Ms. Lockhart, I fully understood that." The words had barely left his mouth before he realized he said the exact same thing a minute ago. Great. Now he was a parrot. Godsdamned verbal skills.

Tifa pulled his office door open. "Right. Well, have a nice day, Rufus."

They were back to polite formality—this Rufus could do. "Yes! Ah, you, too, Ms. Lockhart. Good day."

Halfway out, Tifa paused, hand on knob. "Oh, and, Rufus?"

Rufus tensed. "Yes?" _Here it comes_...

"Next time you plan on changing your light bulb again, call me." She winked and then pulled the door closed behind her.

Heat immediately flooded Rufus's cheeks as his brain struggled to catch up. _Damnation!_ And he'd seen that one coming too.

**Author's Note:**

> This author replies to comments unless on hiatus.


End file.
